Adjustable book and paper holder



(No Mudel.)

' J. R. LENHART. ADJUSTABLE BOOK 0R PAPER HOLDER.

No. 453,931. Patented June 9, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH R. LENHART, OF JONESBOROUGH, INDIANA.

ADJUSTABLE BOOK AND PAPER HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 453,931, dated June 9, 1891.

Application filed February 13, 1891. Serial No. 381,314. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I. JOSEPH R. LENHARuof J onesborough in the county of Grant and State of Indiana, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Adjustable Book and Paper Holders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in adjustable book and paper holders; and it consists in the combination and construction of parts which will be fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to provide a writing-shelf and a holder for books and papers which are to be attached to a chair and by means of which the shelf and the book or paper can be adjusted into any desired position in front of the reader.

,I Figure 1 is a perspective of a book-support which embodies my invention complete. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the parts attached directly to an armless chair and the writingshelf in position. Figs. 3 and 4 are perspectives of the castings, which are attached to the arm of the chair. Fig. 5 is a perspective of the socket, which is attached to one end of the. ide. Fig. 6 isaperspective of the holder.

'and 8 are detail views.

A represents an ordinary chair, to the arm of which the two castings B Care clamped by means of set-screws, as shown. The casting B is made S-shaped and has the support 0 screwed c fastened to its upper end, while the casting C is shaped like the one B, but has in addition to it an L-shaped hook D upon its upper end, in which hook one end of the writing-shelf R catches. The support 0 consists of a board or strip of wood of any suitable length and width, upon which the endwise-moving slide G is placed. This slide G consists of two pieces of board, which have blocks of wood of suitable thickness placed between their ends, as shown. This slide will move freely back and forth endwise upon the support 0' for the purpose of bringing the book or paper into any desired position in front of the reader or may be moved endwise to its full extent, and then the book or paper can be moved from in front of the reader, so as to allow him to get freely in and out of the chair. This slide can also be moved back and forth upon the support 0', so as to bring the hook nearer to or farther from the reader, as may be desired.

When my invention is to be applied to an armless chair, as shown in Fig. 2, a double castingSis fastened directly to the seat of the chair and the wooden strip T is placed upon this casting S, the strip having a tenon to fit in a socket in the casting, which is provided with a set-screw to hold the strip in place. To this strip the castings B O are fastened, the support 0 secured to their upper ends, and then the slide Gr is placed upon the support, as shown in Fig. 1. Upon the top of this slide G the writing-shelf R is placed, having the two L-shaped castings U secured to its under side near opposite edges, which castings catch over opposite edges of the slide. The hook D on the clamp O catches in an aperture in the small cross-piece on the under side of the shelf and holds one end of the shelf in place while in use. The shelf may be detached from the slide, as shown in Fig. 1, but the shelf and slide are to be used together, as shown in Fig. 2.

Secured to the inner end of the slide G is the socket H, which is shaped as shown in Fig. 5 and which is fastened to one end of the slide at any desired angle. In this socket H the holder I is placed, and this holdercan be turned freely around in this socket and held in any desired OSItlOI] b means Of a SQtv-SCIG W which The passes through the side of the socket. handle or rod J, to which the book or paper supportLis secured, passes freely through this holder I and can be adjusted up or down and turned at any desired angle to the reader at will. The book-supportLconsists of a board or other suitable material having a flange formed upon its lower edge, and to this flange are attached suitable springs O for holding the book or paper open.

From the above description it will be seen that after the book or paper has been placed upon the support L the slide and shelf can be moved to or from the reader or moved back and forth in front of him, orthebook or paper can be raised or lowered in relation to his eyes at will, and thus save the reader all trouble in holding the book or paper.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a book-support, a clamp having a horizontal slide-support, a slide having a horizontal slot through which the said support passes, and a book-support connected to the slide, the parts combined substantially as shown.

2. In a book-supportand Writing-table, two clamps, a horizontal support secured at opposite ends to the clamps, one of the clamps havingan inWardly-projecting hook above the said support, a slide having a horizontal slot, through which the support passes, a hooksupport secured to the slide, and a writingtable having hooks which engage the said slide and the clamp-hook, the parts combined substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature in presence of witnesses.

J OSEPII R. LENIIART. Witnesses:

BENJAMIN F. FIKE, STEPHEN W. NELSON. 

